Jesse Lee Soffer's Life After Chicago P.D. & New FBI Role, Explained

"Chicago P.D." fans may have been knocking on wood that Jesse Lee Soffer's Jay Halstead would show up to escort Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) off-screen during her final episode, but Jay doesn't show his face during those crucial last scenes. It's been two seasons since Jay has absconded from Chicago. He turns in his badge because he's incredibly disgusted by the lack of moral clarity and certainty in his job. At that, he decides that he's better off working for the military again. He ends up in Bolivia. There, he's been leading a team that's going toe-to-toe with drug pushers, taking apart cartels piece by piece. Unfortunately, Jay and Hailey's marriage also comes apart piece by piece and he divorces her in absentia.

Soffer exclusively told Variety that his choice to leave the procedural behind was driven by his desire to conquer new worlds. "Eventually, you know the character so well, there's not much that can shift or transform," he said. "I really wanted to grow and expand, and we've only got this one trip. If I signed up again, it would have been for another three years. I would have turned 40 on the show. I thought, 'You know what? It's time to take a risk.'"

What else has Soffer been up to since leaving the drama? He's been directing — he helmed two episodes of "Chicago P.D.," one during Season 10, the other during Season 11. His acting docket had been empty — at least until this spring. That was when CBS announced Soffer would replace Luke Kleintank as the head of the investigative team on "FBI: International." 

Jesse Lee Soffer will become a regular part of another Dick Wolf drama this fall when he joins the cast of "FBI: International." TVLine exclusively reported that he will be playing Supervisory Special Agent Wesley "Wes" Mitchell. The character will apparently have his roguish side, but his unusual way of approaching cases and excellent instincts in the field all come together to fulfill his ultimate aim — to serve justice expeditiously. 

Time will tell how Fly Team comes to embrace its newest member, especially after losing one of the most important people on their roster in the form of Luke Kleintank's Scott Forrester. Kleintank cited his family — and the large amount of travel required to shoot on the show's Budapest set — as reasons why he's leaving; Forrester, meanwhile, exits the team to help his mom with a mission. 

In any event, it looks like Soffer is going to get the adventure and new start he's been searching for. Fans will get to meet Wes Mitchell when "FBI: International" returns with a fresh season on October 15.